What Is IT support? Does My Business Need It?

IT support is typically viewed as solving the problems an individual or company may be having online. IT stands for Information Technology and otherwise may be regarded to as technical support. On most occasions, a company will offer this support and help with computer technology to those requiring their service.

Of course, not everyone is fully trained or has the understanding of solving computer related issues. Concepts can be extensive and there are only so many hours in each day. As such, companies dedicate themselves to offering this assistance and are fully trained at providing support.

Until reading this article, you may have heard the term IT support and dismissed it as something not concerning you. However, there’s every chance you have contacted and been assisted by an IT support company in the past.

For an IT support company, their goal is to provide a solution to customers that will solve their individual problem. There are a number of ways to go about this and you’ll be able to find out more later in this piece.

How does IT support work?

What is IT support? IT support works in many ways and all depends on the product or service you are trying to use. If you have purchased a technological product from a shop for instance, the chances are that company will have it’s own support team available. This includes household names such as Apple, Blackberry, Panasonic and Sky.

If you have any queries about the product or are having trouble in some way, you can simply contact the support team. This support can be received in plenty of ways. Telephone assistance used to be the common way to speak with an advisor, but nowadays it’s really easily to speak to the support team online via a live chat system.

Of course, for products physically purchased from a particular store, you can also get assistance by returning to the shop – if you prefer a face-to-face approach.

Who is IT support for?

IT support is typically available for any customer who has bought a product or pays for an on-going service. Often, there’s a free support service for a certain period of time – ensuring the customer is able to fully set-up the product/service without any initial issues. If there is no IT support offered, you can easily find a company who’ll help rectify your problem – usually for a fee.

Larger companies will also require IT support from time-to-time in order to ensure their business continues running efficiently and effectively. If your company requires continual support you may have a specific team in place dedicated to this side of the business.

How can I get IT support?

If you require IT support, it’s possible to get the help you require in many different ways. Depending on the product or service you need assistance with, you can receive technical support by these three means:

Face-to-face in store

On the telephone

Online with live chat.

Large businesses may also have their own dedicated IT support team, who are continually on hand to deal with problems that occur.

What are the types of IT support?

When it comes down to IT support, there are typically three types you can take advantage of. These are Time & Materials, Block Hours and Managed Services:

Time & Materials Support: As you would expect, customers pay for the time spent and materials used in dealing with IT issues. This rate is pre-arranged and will span the time it takes for the problem to be resolved.

Block Hours Support: Essentially, the business will pay for a certain number of hours and these can be used as and when necessary. Depending on the contract these can be used over a monthly or yearly basis, for example.

Managed Services Support: The final IT support option is managed services, whereby you’ll again pay a pre-determined fee. This contract includes 24/7 support and will also include the technician visiting your business if the issue can’t be rectified remotely.

IT Support: Final Points

If you run into IT problems, there will be a company to offer a helping hand – and unless under guarantee, you’ll need to pay a fee for this service. Of course, the more help and assistance you require, the more you’ll pay and in turn, it may be worth signing a long-term contract.

IT support teams work efficiently and are often available 24/7, so your issue won’t remain as such for very long. Any questions or problems can frequently be dealt with in just minutes, so you’ll be back up and running in no time at all. For more complex situations, the technician will be happy to spend hours on the phone helping you rectify the matter.

Each IT support team is different but you should get everything you need through their service. If you find the issue comes back or it hasn’t been sufficiently dealt with, call them back and get the service you’re paying for – This is your money after all.

You should now have a better understanding about IT support, what it is, how it works and whether you need it. It’s good to know there’s loads of help out there for you to take advantage of, so find your IT support company today.

Premier Choice Internet provides businesses all over the UK with professional and affordable IT support for their website. This ensures companies can focus their attention on the aspects that matter, such as growth and customer service. With a 24-hour remote support service, Premier Choice Internet ensure a secure and safe infrastructure is in place to prevent problems occurring. There is also an emergency IT support service available to non-contracted clients too.